Holt Blends Academic Success With Public Service

MOUNT VERNON – Mount Vernon High School senior Kamryn Holt has already built a résumé filled with leadership, service, creativity and remarkable resilience – a SMART Scholar and honor roll student who mentors younger peers and supports her community.
Kamryn began her high school journey at the Mount Vernon STEAM Academy, where she made the honor roll in both the ninth and 10th grades before transferring to Mount Vernon High School. She said the switch helped her grow academically and personally.

“It was definitely a big difference. The work here is more written work. Everything at STEAM was on the computer,” she explained. “Now I’m in the IB (International Baccalaureate) program, and it’s helped me work harder and stay focused.”

That focus has paid off. After her GPA dipped when she first joined the rigorous International Baccalaureate program, Kamryn pushed herself to stay organized, seek support and improve her study habits.

Her overall grade jumped from 83 to a 94 in the most recent marking period, an accomplishment she calls one of her proudest.

“I wanted colleges to see that I brought my grades up. That was important to me,” Kamryn said.

One of the most challenging periods of her life was overcoming the loss of her beloved grandmother – the person she shared a birthday with and was very close to growing up – to breast cancer early in her high school career.

“When my grandmother passed, it had a really big impact on me. I lost a lot of motivation,” Kamryn shared. “Joining cheerleading helped me build new connections. It helped me cope.”

Cheerleading, she said, became both a creative outlet and a source of healing. She served as captain of the MVHS Varsity Cheerleading Team in 11th grade, leading the squad all the way to Nationals in Orlando, Florida.

Meanwhile, Kamryn continued expanding her leadership skills and outreach activities.
Through the Her Honor Mentoring Program, which was founded by Judge Judy Sheindlin, she engaged with accomplished women leaders who pushed her to think about her future, build confidence and develop professional skills.

She also participated in Safe Place 4 Our Girls, an after-school enrichment program supporting students’ academic, social, emotional and physical well-being; the Girls Embracing Maturity Program, where she worked with Mount Vernon City Hall to distribute educational material during the closure of the local hospital; and Girls on Fire in New Rochelle, where she conducted health and safety training and became certified in first aid, CPR and AED use.

During the summers, Kamryn stayed busy and independent. She worked as a server with Rail House Catering in Pelham, handled admissions at Tibbetts Brook Park in Yonkers and served as a camp counselor at Challenge Camp in New Rochelle, helping young people explore STEM, sports and the arts.

“Working gives me a sense of independence — having my own money and knowing how to manage it,” she said. “My mom always tells me, ‘Save your money.’”

This year, Kamryn is interning with the city Youth Bureau, learning essential life skills including tax preparation, bookkeeping and financial management. In her economics class, she’s studying job readiness, interviewing and investing while following daily updates in the stock market.

When schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kamryn discovered something new about herself: she loved to draw and paint. What began as a hobby evolved into a new passion.

“My mom came home one day and said, ‘You drew that?’ And when I said yes, she told me to keep going,” Kamryn recalled. “Now when I show her something I made, she shows everyone.”

Today, Kamryn is an IB Visual Arts student, creating pieces in acrylic paint and experimenting with sketchbooks, 3D paper art and mixed media. She credits her art teacher, Sanam Shams, as one of the most influential people in her life.

“She’s very uplifting. She never brings you down. She always tells you, ‘You got this.’ She’s encouraging and supportive,” Kamryn said.Her portfolio has already helped her apply to several colleges, including institutions that require art submissions.

Kamryn has so far been accepted to SUNY Delhi, SUNY Morrisville and the University at Albany. She has also applied to Hampton University, Delaware State University and Temple University, where she is preparing an IB Visual Arts portfolio.

She hopes to study visual arts, but is also considering business management — a combination that reflects both her creativity and her drive for independence.

“I want to be successful in life. I want to be independent. I don’t want to depend on anyone,” she said. “I want to be able to do things myself.”